The trip was everything I could have expected and so much more! I expected to see overt clashes between faiths. There were none. YEA! I didn't expect to see indications of how much of an "Apartheid" state there actually is, with fifty-some laws applicable for Palestinians that are not applicable for Israelis. One humorous (almost) nonsensical law is that Palestinians cannot own cows! Sooooo, the speaker mentioned some Palestinians (he mentioned only his case) have bought cows (from Israelis) and moved them one step ahead of the Israeli authorities that want to confiscate them.

There are many more stories of the subversive kind of occupation. One presenter included in his talk, "The end game is written. Civil Rights will be had by everyone irregardless of one state, two state, pluralistic or whatever kind of government." He was diplomatic to say it may take 100 years, and told the story of when he first returned to Palestine as a Mall developer and was told, "Calm down Sam, no occupation has lasted here forever. The Turks were here for 400 years!", The Refugee Camps, going on third & fourth generation, and Hebron (where Abraham & Sarah are buried) were exercises in trying to envision better for the Moslems. Despite the pockets of Moslem/Christian and Jew working and playing together, "The Wall", the settlements still increasing with more American Hasidic Jews entering them and the drastic problems of "the Gaza Strip", and soldier's stories from the Israeli soldiers, "Breaking the Silence" which points out the 8 billion dollars each year in military aid given to Israel that goes to oppress the minority faiths in large measure, there is evidence of dominance keeping Palestinians from having equality in their own lands outside the area declared Israel in the 1948 accords. The x-soldier told us matter-of-factly, "We are responsible too."

Okay time for a little break. Yes, we had fun. People in our groups rode a camel if they wished. Case in point above!

I'm still processing this time. We (the 108 Mosaic of Peace Presbyterians) have been asked by multiple speakers to communicate our trip and to write Congress & even the Sec. of State AND President.

Finally as a P.S. The sights, Jericho [where the YWCA school for 5 and 6 year olds is 1000 feet below sea level (and above 100 degrees Fahrenheit we were there)], Jesus's ministry in Capernum, His crucifixion sites, His Birth Place in Bethlehem, His baptism in the Jordan River, . . . I saw & experienced it first hand - AWESOME! On the other side of it all, ******We are on Holy Ground wherever we happen to be.*****